Programs in
Assistive Technology Education
for End-Users in Europe

Name of the organisation
    AP3 (APECUBE)
    ASSOCIATION DE PARENTS, DE PROFESSIONNELS
    AUTOUR DE LA PERSONNE POLYHANDICAPÉE
    Personne - Contact Programme Européen
Address
    123, rue du Cerisier
    1490 Court St. Etienne
    BELGIUM
    Telephone: +32 67 772880
    Fax: +32 67 772880
Key Person of the organisation
    Michèle Rouge, occupational therapist

An organisation of families of persons with disabilities, but also of professionals interested in the field, which is involved in training/education and information/advice. Educational activities (begun less than 5 years ago) also take into account the importance of training for independent living and the role of AT; these aspects are globally addressed to families and professionals.

The educational activities carried out over the past 5 years can be classified as follows:

  • 2 non-residential training courses, addressed to a target of educational and rehabilitation professionals;
  • 4 cycles of information activities, represented by conferences and exchange of experience mainly addressed to the above-mentioned target;
  • activities addressed to the individual, represented by advice, peer counselling (between parents), information services, all addressed to the same target.

The role played by AT in these initiatives ranges from relevant to very important, and the related areas that receive greatest attention are: household activities, employment, communication, mobility, vision, hearing, reading/writing, learning and general accessibility issues.

TRAINING COURSES AND SEMINARS

In the courses and seminars described by this organisation the accent is mainly on rehabilitation and education; given the overall uniformity of organisation and implementation, only a general description has been annexed to the questionnaire.
Title of the initiative
Typology
Year
Duration

(in hrs.)
Number partic.
Target
Number teachers
Loisir avec les polyhandicapés

(Recreation for persons with multiple handicaps)

n/r train. c., series of seminars
a lot every year
2-4
10-20
fam., rehab. prof., social work., pers. ass.
1-2
Problèmes de déglutition chez les polyhandicapés

(Deglutition problems of persons with multiple handicaps)

mon. sem., series of seminars
a lot every year
2-4
10-20
fam., rehab. prof., social work., pers. ass.
1-2
Trucs et arcuces avec les polyhandicapés

(Tips for persons with multiple handicaps)

n/r train. c., mon. seminar
a lot every year
2-4
10-20
fam., rehab. prof., social work., pers. ass.
1-2
Basse vision et polyhandicapés

(Low vision problems of persons with multiple handicaps)

n/r train. c., series of seminars
a lot every year
2-4
10-20
fam., rehab. prof., social work., pers. ass.
1-2
Plaisir de l'eau avec les polyhandicapés

(Pleasure from water for persons with multiple handicaps)

n/r train. c., series of seminars
a lot every year
2-4
10-20
fam., rehab. prof., social work., pers. ass.
1-2

Selection

Some of the initiatives are organised in collaboration with AWIPH (Agence Wallonne pour l'intégration des Personnes Handicapées). These are publicised to a very wide public, with all the options considered, and through leaflets and advertisements in specialised journals. Special accent is placed on the fact that participants are involved in the treatment or care of persons with multiple handicaps; no special criteria are applied to the choice of teachers, and no preference for teachers with disabilities is expressed.

Organisation

The initiatives were held at different venues, since the organisation has not yet got its own place, but the intention is to transfer the events to the organisation's premises as soon as possible. Particular attention was paid to comfort and to accessibility of bathrooms; organisation also includes coffee and lunch breaks, and sometimes welcome and farewell sessions. Preparatory meetings for the teachers are held. According to the conference attended, participants were charged fees varying from BF 100 to 250. Activities organised by AWIPH, are free of charge (persons with disabilities have the right to participate).

Implementation

There is no precise definition of the methods for contents transmission, since all the possible options have been chosen, but the pedagogical key-words suggest that the main accent is on learning by doing and interactivity. Overhead projection, slides, video and handouts were used, while hands-on sessions were based on presentation, demonstration and individual use of products.

Information on participants was collected through a presentation form and an introductory questionnaire, and was used to readjust contents and methods of the initiative on the basis of the real target; teachers' progress meetings were also held. Feedback was collected via a final questionnaire, and follow-up was done through direct contact and interviews.

Further remarks

The answers to the last questions reveal that over the years the organisation has changed the typology definition of its initiatives, shifting towards courses and conferences in accordance with the increasing demand from educational professionals and families. There has also been recognition of the importance of having more than one point of view represented within the target, which means involving personal assistants, professionals and families. Important future steps will be to improve communication among the organisers, to find out about existing initiatives in the field so that a serious comparison can be made, and to connect up with them. Technical and human resources are also needed to improve the quality of the educational activities.